Ag and Rural Development Smart List

This smart list searched for the text "agriculture" or "rural development" appears.

Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) in Africa: A review

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Africa. Africa, Madagascar, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, environmental values, macroeconomic, market development, market value, Africa, Madagascar, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, environmental values, macroeconomic, market development, market value. SUMMARY: This compilation of case studies examines community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) experiences in Africa and analyzes the determinants of CBNRM adoption, success, and expansion. The trend toward greater CBNRM implementation is attributed to the changing nature and role of state institutions, the evolving relationship between the State and civil society, and the failure of the politically centralized approach. CBNRM is commonly not given official legal status because of lack of support from central governments and difficulties of integrating local customary rules and practices into a national legal framework. The authors suggest that the fundamental conditions for successful CBNRM include: Enabling or permissive political, legal, and institutional environment; A minimum level of social cohesion within the community; Control over resources with substantial value; Community access to technical, managerial and market information; Community access to financial resources. The review of country programs revealed the following trends at the community level: Willingness by rural communities to invest in the future at the expense of immediate benefits; A few cases of CBNRM profitability for communities and other legitimates stakeholders; Greater diversification and wider participation; Knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect to NRM are changing;Need for continued support in the areas of training, technical inputs, and financing. At the macro level, however, acceptance of community initiatives is counterbalanced by inconsistency or arbitrariness of official support for CBNRM and by the weakness of its legal foundation. The authors' review of the CBNRM experience in Africa suggests that stakeholders' perceptions of the value of resources and the potential benefits from co-management of natural resources has received little attention. Greater recognition of the value of natural resources at macro and micro levels is a fundamental condition for efficient resource management.The potential expansion of CBNRM depends on the extent and the quality of linkages between communities and other stakeholders. At the local level, the main issue is less the availability of resources to be co-managed than access by communities to the skills and information needed for shared responsibility in resource management. At the national level, successful CBNRM activities should inform and influence the environment and natural resources (ENR) policy environment. Recommendations for USAID and its partners are summarized as follows: Establish a more explicit understanding of interactions at the macro level, as a basis for country strategy and strategic objective definition; Gain a better understanding of macro - micro linkages in the ENR sector, and of approaches to resource valuation; Apply knowledge of interactions, analytical tools and information technologies to institutional obstacles; Retain flexibility within a wide portfolio of supporting activities; Seek a closer fit between strategies and programs that are necessarily limited in time and a vision consistent with the long-term nature of ENR work in Africa.

Development through conservation in Southwest Uganda project: Evaluation report

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Africa. Africa, Uganda, financing, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, conservation, forest reserve, extension, forestry department, institutional collaboration, research, communication, environmental education, evaluation. SUMMARY: The purpose of the Conservation through Development in Southwest Uganda (DTCP) Project was to provide support to research by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The project initiated after an agreement between USAID and WWF started in 1988 with the primary goal of enhancing the environmental quality of life for approximately the 86,500 subsistence farmers in southwest Uganda. The project was undertaken by USAID, CARE and WWF in three counties within two districts over a 10-year period. The project was financed by USAID, CARE and WWF. This report derives from a first year evaluation. Findings included: Measurable progress was made by the time of the evaluation toward the goal of protecting biological diversity in the forest; A good start towards raising awareness to rural people was made, but too early to measure changes in agricultural production; Donor funds would be exhausted before or at the end of the project; Participation of the government of Uganda's extension personnel was not a factor in the accomplishments reported.

An assessment of the U.S. Agency for International Development forestry program: Needs and opportunities, final report.

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, World. Community-based Natural Forest Management, Africa. Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Community-based Natural Forest Management, Central America. Community-based Natural Forest Management, South Amercia. Africa, Asia, Central America, South America, appropriate technology, fuelwood, sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, conservation, forestry department, research, community participation, evaluation, lessons learned. SUMMARY: This mid-1980's program assessment was conducted to determine if USAID's forestry activities, policies, strategies and linkages support the priorities and the strengthening of science and technology in US development assistance programs. Five conclusions concerning AID's global forestry programs were drawn: Sustainable economic and social development requires the integration of forestry with agriculture and village industry; The contribution of forestry to agriculture and rural development must incorporate research; Transferring technology, adapting it and implementing it are critical to the success of forestry technical assistance; Forestry support should be expanded and intensified, which will require strengthening of professional capability; The effectiveness of forestry program design and implementation can be increased with better coordination among donor agencies; Non-technical solutions to forestry problems should be explored and more sensitivity to social issues should be given. The authors recommend an increase in forestry assistance despite the large sums of money that have already been allocated to this sector. The authors note that the U.S. is especially qualified to provide forestry information due to experience in public forest administration, forest management, research and extension technologies, harvesting and processing of forest products. The urgency of following the team's recommendations is emphasized, as managed forests are slow to mature and therefore forestry programs must be initiated efficiently and rapidly.

Community based forest management: Organizacion de ejidos productores forestales en la zona Maya (OEPFZM) Management. Organizacion de Ejidos Productores Forestales de la Zona Maya (OEFPFZM). Mexico. [special] The World Bank/ WBI’s CBNRM Initiative

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Central America. Central America, Mexico, community forestry, income distribution, small enterprise, land use, reforestation, decentralization, forest concession, institutional collaboration, research, training, equity, evaluation. SUMMARY: This World Bank evaluation examines community based forest management activities since 1984 in Quintana Roo, Mexico under The World Bank/ WBI’s CBNRM Initiative. Activities included institutional development, forest management, land use zoning, reforestation, small enterprise development and training. The authors review the evolution of community-based management and highlights lessons learned. A concession system was employed to allocate forests to foreign and Mexican timber enterprises until 1983, when concessions were transferred to community ownership. A unique aspect of this experiment was Mexico’s land tenure policy, under which legal ownership of the land is vested in the rural community. Support for the CBNFM program initially was in the form of two years of financing of forestry specialists. Upon termination of this support, team members and communities formed civil corporations (OEPFZM) for forest management enterprise. The authors attribute program success to: Communities’ engagement in concession reform and forest management; Support from government institutions in policy reform and capacity-building; Decentralization of administrative and management power to ejido corporations; Effective institutional development at the community level and linkage with regional ejidos, government, NGOs, and research institutions; Forest management and reforestation education and planning; Small enterprise development (agriculture, crafts, livestock) to supplement ejido incomes and relieve pressure on depleted forest resources; Equitable distribution of forest use and employment benefits; Community participation in financing operating costs; Internal research program, enhanced by collaboration with national and international organizations; Funding support from international foundations, for training, training, technical assistance, equipment and infrastructure, research, management plans. The document suggests that effective CBNFM is possible when: Community producers are involved in decision-making, promotion and organization; Institutional coordination allows efficient allocation of technical and financial support; Mechanisms of coordination exist to link different actors for specific production activity; Owners and users recognize the long-term economic benefits of NFM as an alternative to more immediately profitable, destructive forest uses.

Reflections on improving the management of forest resources in Madagascar

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Africa. Africa, Madagascar, community forestry, financing, industrial forestry, joint ventures, logging, sustainable forestry, biodiversity, deforestation, shifting cultivation, governance, monitoring, policy, evaluation. SUMMARY: This evaluation of Madagascar's forestry sector identifies potential areas that the Environmental Management Support Project (PAGE) may supported the increasing role of civil society in forest governance, the use and management of the National Forestry Fund, and improved integration of forestry into rural development and poverty reduction programs. The report assesses USAID's role and achievements in the forestry sector and draws upon an evaluation of pilot projects in CBNFM to identify challenges and opportunities. The author notes important challenges in Madagascar's forestry sector as: Increasing commercial returns to forest management; Making forest management more attractive to local populations; Organizing a national forest management program to control shifting cultivation, bushfires, and unregulated, small-scale forest exploitation. PAGE has helped to emphasize local forest governance, control illicit forest exploitation, strengthen the role of civil society, and support the establishment and functioning of regional forest observatories. Clear political changes with respect to the government's commitment to improved governance and sustainable financing of the forestry sector are still necessary to improve the forest sector. The author recommends the following measures to improve management and sustainable use of Madagascar's forest resources: Support for sustainable yield, multiple-use management of forests and empowerment of local communities in participatory approaches to improve forest management; Strengthen institutions at the central, regional, and local levels to stimulate partnerships between public and private sectors and provide effective field support; Incorporate priorities and compatible approaches for biodiversity conservation into land use and economic development planning; Focus on objectives that emphasize social and economic benefits; Encourage investment in forest management activities as the engine of socio-economic development in target zones.

Making Agricultural Trade Reform Work for the Poor

This paper brings together what is known about the link between agricultural trade reform and poverty alleviation, and about how developing countries can successfully manage to open their economies while reducing poverty. It highlights the channels that link agricultural growth, rural development and poverty alleviation with trade. It discusses the potential welfare impacts of policy reform and examines the recent trends of open trade in developing countries. Finally, the paper identifies reforms and flanking measures that could be effective in combating poverty in conjunction with more open trade policy. Published by International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council in June 2005

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: Rural Investment and Enabling Policy

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the most broadly supported, comprehensive and specific poverty-reduction targets the world has ever established, and the year 2005 is critical in that there are only ten years left to achieve these goals. Three quarters of the world’s more than one billion extremely poor people live in rural areas of developing countries. Fighting poverty today means first and foremost transforming rural lives and livelihoods. The majority of the rural poor depend on agriculture and agriculture-related small industries and services for their livelihoods. It is in the areas where the incidence of poverty is highest – in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia – that agricultural development can have the greatest impact on inclusive growth and overall poverty reduction.

Guide to Energy Options for Small-Scale Rural ICT Projects

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are contributing to the achievement of development goals in diverse and ever-expanding ways. They are used to increase the effectiveness and reach of development interventions, to enhance good governance and to lower the delivery costs of many public and private services. When used appropriately, ICTs facilitate the creation and strengthening of new economic and social networks with the potential to advance and even transform the development process. This guide addresses the challenge of meeting the small-scale energy needs of ICT installations in rural and remote areas where there is insufficient access to high-quality, reliable electricity to meet the needs of the ICT installation. Compared to the use of ICTs in developed countries, the economics of ICT ownership are very different when there is no readily available supply of high-quality electricity, as in the following cases: (1) There is no access to the grid at the desired location and grid extension is unaffordable or unavailable; (2) Access to electricity is intermittent or unreliable, as with community diesel generators operated only in the evenings and electricity grids with frequent and long-lasting outages; and (3) Electricity is available but is characterized by extremely poor quality. This guidebook is based in part on previous works including: Energía Fotovoltaica en la Educación A Distancia: Guía Técnica, published by Sandia National Labs and New Mexico State University for USAID and USDOE in August 2001; and Rural Energy & Connectivity Initiative, produced by Winrock International for the Organization of American States (OAS) in 2002.

Transforming Rural Institutions in Order to Reach the Millennium Development Goals

Poor rural producers often do not have up-to-date and reliable market RURAL POVERTY AND INSTITUTIONS 4 information. They are thus at serious disadvantage, both in selling their produce and purchasing the goods and services they need, when they deal with traders and other market intermediaries who are few in number and with far greater economic power. There is therefore a serious risk that unless market and other institutions are effectively developed, and made more responsive to the needs of poor rural producers and consumers, the poor will draw little benefit from the reforms and could even be further impoverished. Developing such responsive institutions, those located in rural areas and those that affect the rural poor, is a crucial question for economic policy-making as governments try to accelerate rural development and poverty reduction in economies that are increasingly market-based.

Forestry in Asia: U.S. AID’s experience

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, community forestry, incentives, marketing, agroforestry, reforestation, forestry department, institutional strengthening, policy, communication, social forestry, case study, evaluation, literature review. SUMMARY: This USAID critical review examines early AID rural development and forestry programs in Asian countries, including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia. Institutional, technical, community participation, and design issues are highlighted for each country. USAID-sponsored forestry programs have resulted in significant improvement of forestry and natural resource management institutions. Policy reforms have hindered the establishment of community woodlots and managed forests, however, and often field objectives were not met, partly due to high expectations. The author notes that institutional problems persist, notably: agriculture and forestry agencies showed little cooperation and forestry institutions have not adequately managed funds and field activities. The author suggests giving more attention to early phases of projects and decentralizing project management. Technical problems are also common: inadequate attention has been paid to people's needs or site conditions when choosing incentive programs, woodlot locations, and tree species. Accessible markets for tree products are needed, as are new supplies of seeds and seedlings. Monocultures of exotic species are often introduced, bringing biological and economic risks. The author suggests that project goals should be streamlined, realistic, and in tune with community needs. Project evaluation needs improvement to be effective sources of information. Although not foolproof, land use certification and tenure can improve sustainable management efforts as exemplified by Thailand and the Philippines. The author recommends an analysis of forestry extensions in Asia, more investment in applied research, greater interagency cooperation, further natural resource policy development within governments, a phased approach to project implementation, greater input from ecologists and social scientists, and more emphasis on tree product marketing.

Sustainable agriculture and the environment: Nepal case study

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, Nepal, community forestry, sustainable agriculture, afforestation, deforestation, soil conservation, watershed, decentralization, NGO, community participation, poverty abatement, case study, lessons learned. SUMMARY: This case study examines USAID program success in promoting conservation and sustainable agriculture in Nepal since the late 1970s. The review focuses on four USAID projects funded with US$ 90 million, the two largest being the Resource Conservation and Utilization Project (RCUP) and the Rapti Integrated Rural Development Project (Rapti). About 12 percent of the Rapti Phase I budget went to the renewable Resource Management Component, which promoted community management of existing forests. USAID also co-financed international NGOs targeting the poorest farmers for agricultural development and resource conservation.From 1964 to 1978, Nepal's hill forest cover was reduced by 25%, resulting in 1) less or more distant sources of forest products, and 2) reduced soil fertility and crop yields. The authors note that a lack of strategies to involve local communities in management and conservation of the forests is one of the main reasons for past lack of interest by communities in halting deforestation and for the failure of RCUP and similar projects.During the 1980s, a shift in national policies allowed local people to form user-groups, which took charge of natural forests and afforestation. USAID moved from a traditional top-down technical service delivery to a more grass roots approach, where farmers participated in planning and implementing natural resource conservation. As a result, land productivity was increased and more practices for the conservation of soil and watersheds were adopted. The authors argue that cropland conservation initiatives implemented through local organizations are more efficient and sustainable than centralized approaches. Agricultural development programs were more successful in the communities having previous experience organizing themselves in forestry user-groups. The authors suggest that donor agencies should be prepared to devote at least ten years to a project. The NGO model of support for natural resource use is better than other approaches because efforts are targeted and are long-term.

Improving access to financial services in forest communities

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, Philippines, business management, community forestry, credit, financing, forest enterprises, accountability, institutions, training, case study, planning document. SUMMARY: This report identifies the enterprise credit needs of forest community people's organizations (POs) in the Philippines and provides recommendations for their development and improved access to rural financial services. The author observed that many of the POs were formed into multi-purpose cooperatives (MPCs) and comments that there is potential for conflict between having an organization responsible for the long term oversight of a community's resources and the same organization involved in business undertakings. He suggests restricting the business activities of MPCs by transferring financial risks to individual and grouped entrepreneurs rather than to expose the MPC to potential financial losses. The bookkeeping system employed by many POs and MPCs is reported as unsatisfactory. As a result, the financial performance of POs is non-transparent, does not facilitate rational investment decisions, and as such, is of little value in an application for bank financing. Many PO households lack regular access to financial services because of: 1) their distance from established financial institutions; 2) the small scale of their financial needs which is unattractive to banks; and 3) the lack of household financial information available to financial institutions. The report recommends the formation of a credit union (CU) within communities, with a focus on micro-enterprise lending between 5000 to 10,000 pesos. It is also recommended that lending of the CU to any single borrower be limited to not more than 10 percent of the net worth of the CU and that, for the first year of operations, no loan be for a term of more than six months. The POs and their cooperatives are also encouraged to develop linkages with cooperative federations, and that those federations be contracted in the start-up and training of community CUs.

COMMUNITY-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

THE CONTEXT Project Location The case study is based on a pilot project entitled “Maintaining Biodiversity in Pakistan with Rural Community Development”. This is a four year nationally executed pilot project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UNDP. The project area is located in the Northern Pakistan and is characterized by a high altitude cold mountain desert ecosystem (see Figure 1). The ecosystem consists of high alpine pastures with scattered patches of juniper/birch forests. The main wildlife species include snow leopard, ibex, marco polo sheep, markhor, musk deer, brown and black bear, and partridges.

Nature, Wealth, and Power: Emerging Best Practice for Revitalizing Rural Africa

This document - Nature, Wealth, and Power (NWP) - is about rural development in Africa. It is a preliminary statement of lessons learned from more than 20 years of natural resource–based development in rural Africa. Twenty years ago, natural resource management programs took a predominantly technical approach to getting rural development moving and responding to perceived environmental crises. The limitations of this approach were subsequently revealed as projects failed to meet their objectives and be sustainable. The originial source of this file is {http://www.frameweb.org/ev_en.php?ID=12186_201&ID2=DO_TOPIC}

Forestry and the environment: Nepal case study

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, Nepal, appropriate technology, community forestry, farm forestry, afforestation, degraded lands, reforestation, watershed, decentralization, institutional collaboration, institutions, policy, training, communication, evaluation. SUMMARY: This USAID evaluation document examines USAID/Nepal's support of the Rapti Development Project (phases I and II) and the Resource Conservation and Utilization (RCU) Project for forest and watershed management on public lands, improvement of livestock management, and community-based reforestation and watershed management. From 1980-90, USAID invested approximately $77 million in these and five other NRM programs in support of farm-level research, extension, institution building, and training. RCU's integrated approach to conservation focused on protecting watersheds and complementing existing farming activities. This approach followed three strategies: 1) focus on problems within the immediate catchment of a river; 2) villages and farmers associations helped identify problems and organize farmers; and 3) simple, low-cost technologies were introduced to curb soil erosion and conserve water resources. The initial multisectoral project design of RCU was too complex to be effectively managed by AID/Nepal and GOM. The reorientation of projects to appropriate technologies and local capacity-building initiatives generated greater participation and success. USAID's long-term investments in the two projects and several years of collaboration with other donors enabled the mission to raise policy issues and advocate policy changes favoring local management and private enterprise in the forestry sector. The author suggests that low-cost, small-scale activities that can be undertaken and sustained with private and local initiatives to address specific problems in a watershed are key to successful implementation. Implementation of large-scale projects involving technologies that exceed the host country's capabilities is inappropriate. He insists that the process of devolving management of forestry resources should not stop at the level of local government authorities. Local communities and groups should be actively involved in planning and implementation. The author recommends that missions with limited resources should not start with institution-building or policy reform. Moreover, project-by-project approaches may not be cost-effective given the investment required in the design phase. Initial programs should focus on resource conservation activities that can be integrated into existing rural development programs. Drawing government attention to inadequacies in forestry development policy and long-term investment in integrating reforestation and CBNFM in development policy is critical and most effective under multi-donor collaboration.

Natural resource management: AID's experience in Nepal

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, Nepal, appropriate technology, livestock, degraded lands, reforestation, soil conservation, soil erosion, watershed, institutional strengthening, policy, training, communication, community participation, education, evaluation. SUMMARY: This USAID evaluation document examines USAID/Nepal's support of the Rapti Development Project (phases I and II) and the Resource Conservation and Utilization (RCU) Project for forest and watershed management on public lands, improvement of livestock management, and community-based reforestation and watershed management. From 1980-90, USAID invested approximately $77 million in these and five other NRM programs in support of farm-level research, extension, institution building, and training. RCU's integrated approach to conservation focused on protecting watersheds and complementing existing farming activities. This approach followed three strategies: 1) focus on problems within the immediate catchment of a river; 2) villages and farmer's associations helped identify problems and organize farmers; and 3) simple, low-cost technologies were introduced to curb soil erosion and conserve water resources. The initial multisectoral project design of RCU was too complex to be effectively managed by AID/Nepal and GOM. The reorientation of projects to appropriate technologies and local capacity-building initiatives generated greater participation and success. USAID long-term investments in the two projects and several years of collaboration with other donors enabled the mission to raise policy issues and advocate policy changes favoring local management and private enterprise in the forestry sector. The author suggests that low-cost, small-scale activities that can be undertaken and sustained with private and local initiatives to address specific problems in a watershed are key to successful implementation. Implementation of large-scale project involving technologies that exceed the host country's capabilities is inappropriate. The author finds it critical that the process of devolving management of forestry resources should not stop at the level of local government authorities. Local communities and groups should be actively involved in planning and implementation. The author recommends that missions with limited resources should not start with institution-building or policy reform. Moreover, project-by-project approaches may not be cost-effective given the investment required in the design phase. Initial programs should focus on resource conservation activities that can be integrated into existing rural development programs. Drawing government attention to inadequacies in forestry development policy and long-term investment in integrating reforestation and CBNFM in development policy is critical and most effective under multi-donor collaboration.

Mid-term review of LIFE-II and assessment of the Namibia National CBNRM Programme. Final Report

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Africa. Africa, Namibia, ecotourism, financing, income generation, small enterprise, conservation, wildlife, co-management, institutions, NGO, policy, training, community participation, evaluation. SUMMARY: This report is an assessment of the USAID/Namibia's Living in a Finite Environment (LIFE)-Phase II program, which includes the Namibia National CBNRM Programme. The review team finds that investments in CBNRM have been highly worthwhile and effective. Some of the successes include: Development of sufficient policy reforms to empower communities economically and organizationally; The resource base, especially wildlife populations, has recovered dramatically, providing a base for financially viable conservancies; Communities have recognized the potential value of conservancies. The report estimates a potential doubling in average per capita income for 60,000 rural Namibians if careful investment and management of wildlife tourism in conservancy areas is developed; Local communities have mobilized as conservancies and organized themselves to monitor natural resources. As of 2001, 14 communities are registered as conservancies, covering over 3.9 million ha, 9 are well underway, and work has been initiated on 11 applications; With support from the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism and other NGOs, conservancies have begun to benefit directly from game hunting and other community-based tourism enterprises; An in-depth knowledge about CBNRM has been developed and institutionalized. However, the report acknowledges that longer-term success will depend on additional investments. The following are strategic recommendations aimed at further development of sustainable conservancies: Develop a program-wide emphasis on strengthening conservancies as participatory democracies through sound, accountable, transparent and equitable village-level institutions; Set plans for each conservancy to achieve financial sustainability; Simplify the conservancy planning process, with an emphasis on improving livelihoods; Implement comprehensive but simple performance and compliance monitoring systems; Support the emergence of conservancy associations as the program's lead agency and primary mechanism of advocacy.

Mid-term evaluation of the Shared Control of Natural Resources Sub-Project, Sri Lanka

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, Sri Lanka, income generation, sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, conservation, land use, watershed, extension, institutional strengthening, land tenure, training, community participation, evaluation. SUMMARY: The Shared Control of Natural Resources (SCOR) Sub-Project of the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy Project is an approach to improving productivity in rural Sri Lanka by linking conservation to new tenure rights on agricultural and forest lands. SCOR's purpose is to increase shared control of land and water resources in watersheds through state-user partnerships that contribute to intensified and sustainable agricultural production. The SCOR project helps local groups form new land-use planning organizations and provides these groups with technical and financial assistance to implement improved farming and water management activities. Villagers plan their future land use at a micro-watershed level and work with SCOR to gain access to new leases of government land for farming or agroforestry. This assessment of SCOR's efforts in the two pilot watersheds indicates that project accomplishments have met or exceeded targets set by USAID. SCOR has helped form 165 resource user groups made up of 2,600 farmers, and has demonstrated a significant impact on natural resource conservation practices, rural income generation and the democratization of resource use planning in Sri Lanka. Some of the recommendations listed by the report include: The need to subject conservation techniques introduced by the project to rigorous benefit-cost analysis;and USAID should seek ways for the user groups to benefit from USAID's ongoing projects in agricultural marketing and business development; SCOR research should focus on documenting its successes, the new resource management models, and the relationships between land tenure, adoption of conservation practices and productivity; Increase training for District and Provincial government officers to ensure that SCOR planning methods and conservation techniques are transferred to the local population; SCOR should assist local governments and NGOs to replicate a minimum-cost package of land-use planning, conservation practices and land tenure.

USAID/Senegal natural resources management “limited scope” impact assessment report

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Africa. Africa, Senegal, agricultural diversification, appropriate technology, credit, agroforestry, reforestation, soil conservation, extension, institutional strengthening, policy, training, community based natural resource management, evaluation. SUMMARY: This program planning and evaluation document for USAID/Senegal reviews and assesses the impact of a 5-year USAID investment in natural resources management and related programs in Senegal. NRM activities included: the construction of salt intrusion dams, encouraging the adoption of composting, supporting improved seed production and soil fertility management, training, support for tree planting activities, professional development, support for forestry policy reform, and institutional support. Since 1992, data on household-level estimates of adoption of selected NRM practices were collected from rural producers. Through case studies, the report shows that among other things, extension and development of private sector agricultural enterprises, reforestation and community-based NRM and agricultural research have contributed to the emergence of democratic decision making in rural areas. There has also been greater collaboration between community organizations and rural credit institutions. The authors note an increase in the people using NRM practices in 1998 compared to 1992. Practices that were commonly adopted included live fences, composting, windbreaks, fallows, manures, and field trees (trees planted or natural regeneration conserved in agricultural fields). Results also show that the adoption of NRM practices and the promotion of improved wood stoves to reduce fuelwood consumption have resulted in a reduction in environmental degradation. The use of windbreaks, live fence, field trees have reduced erosion, increased water infiltration rates and fertility, and improved farm microclimates. Specifically, the report notes an increase in rice and sorghum production per hectare and successful extension of NRM training to rural residents. The authors note that the removal of a subsidy on agricultural inputs had a the effect of promoting extensive as opposed to intensive farming and resulted in lower yields. This has caused further degradation of the natural resource base and diminished prospects for food security because the private sector did not provide agricultural inputs at competitive prices. The authors recommend that: USAID/Senegal to focus on removing the major constraints to the creation and development of a vigorous private sector industry in the production of certified seed; USAID should continue support all the remaining activities in the NRM portfolio identified through the participatory approach. SUMMARY:

Parks, population, and resettlement in the Dominican Republic

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Central America. Caribbean, Dominican Republic, buffer zone, conservation, land use, protected areas, land tenure, laws, policy, communication, community participation, conflict, population growth, case study. SUMMARY: Los Haitises National Park in the Dominican Republic was created by resettling inhabitants of the protected area and excluding all human entry. This study is derived from surveys conducted during the resettlement process of one community that had been relocated, one that not, and two that would be. The objective was to provide information helpful in future creation of policies and preserves. The surveys covered topics such as the definition and boundaries of national parks, people's feelings about conservation, agricultural issues in resettlement areas, and what land uses they would be willing to give up to promote conservation. Most people demonstrated confusion about the concepts of a national park and buffer zones and were unaware of the proposed boundaries of Los Haitises. Despite government preconceptions, villagers showed support of conservation and were able to cite benefits such as watershed integrity, animal and plant preservation and soil conservation. Villagers listed many land use activities that they would be willing to give up in order to support conservation. They were very skeptical of the land and housing that the government would give, and their fears were supported by the findings of those families that had been relocated. Community and religion had a positive relationship with attitudes toward park use and conservation. Study results suggest that communities should be involved in the development of policies and governmental conservation initiatives. The study demonstrates that rural communities may be willing to make sacrifices in their land uses in order to contribute to shared goals. Misconceptions about people's understanding of conservation issues may hinder progress. Education is critical to protected area planning, management, and community integration.